by Calculated Risk on 10/14/2009 02:00:00 PM

There are several key points here:

The pace of economic growth in 2009 and 2010 "was unlikely to reduce the unemployment rate appreciably".

There are different views on future asset purchases, although they agreed to remain "flexible" and will expand the asset purchase programs "should the economic outlook deteriorate".

There is "considerable uncertainty" about economic growth once government "supports were withdrawn or their effects waned".

Here are the September FOMC minutes. Committee Policy Action:

With respect to the large-scale asset purchase programs, some members thought that an increase in the maximum amount of the Committee's purchases of agency MBS could help to reduce economic slack more quickly than in the baseline outlook. Another member believed that the recent improvement in the economic outlook could warrant a reduction in the Committee's maximum purchases. ... Members discussed the importance of maintaining flexibility to expand the asset purchase programs should the economic outlook deteriorate or to scale back the programs should economic and financial conditions improve more than anticipated.
emphasis added

Economic outlook:

In their discussion of the economic situation and outlook, meeting participants agreed that the incoming data and information received from business contacts suggested that economic activity had picked up following its severe downturn; most thought an economic recovery was under way. Many participants noted that since August, they had revised up their projections for the second half of 2009 and for subsequent years. A number of factors were expected to support growth over the next few quarters: Activity in the housing sector was evidently rising, and house prices had apparently stabilized or even increased; ; reports from business contacts and regional surveys were consumer spending seemed to be in the process of leveling outconsistent with firms making progress in bringing inventories into better alignment with sales and with production stabilizing or beginning to rise in many sectors; the outlook for growth abroad had also improved, auguring well for U.S. exports; and financial market conditions had continued to improve over the past several months. Despite these positive factors, many participants noted that the economic recovery was likely to be quite restrained. Credit from banks remained difficult to obtain and costly for many borrowers; these conditions were expected to improve only gradually. In light of recent experience, consumers were likely to be cautious in spending, and business contacts indicated that their firms would also be cautious in hiring and investing even as demand for their products picked up. Some of the recent gains in activity probably reflected government policy support, and participants expressed considerable uncertainty about the likely strength of the upturn once those supports were withdrawn or their effects waned. Overall, the economy was projected to expand over the remainder of 2009 and during 2010, but at a pace that was unlikely to reduce the unemployment rate appreciably. Subsequently, as the housing market picked up further and financial conditions improved, economic growth was expected to strengthen, leading to more-substantial increases in resource utilization over time.